Kuro
by TalksToSelf
Summary: Fay had promised to return soon, he didn't return soon enough. When Fay makes it back to Nihon he finds himself in a vicious head to head with Kurogane's pregnant fiancee. Who will he trust?
1. Not Long

A/n: Okay PLEASE bare with me, as this involves a lot of ignoring stuff in the manga. **LET'S PRETEND that after the key events Syaoran stayed in Clow with Sakura (I KNOW HE DIDN'T!) and Mokona. Leaving Kurogane and Fay to their own devices.**

Fay swayed on the balls of his feet, his hands in his pockets and a true smile on his face, staring upwards. It felt so utterly refreshing, the breath of the wind on his face. It was just a little reminder that they had survived.  
"We made it." He whispered. Kurogane nodded, not taking his eyes off of the blond, who looked for the first time since Kurogane had know him: calm. It suited him.  
"We made it." He agreed. There was a moment of silence, a respect for those who hadn't made it, before Fay spoke.  
"It's going to be strange… we won't all be together." He mused, half closing his golden eyes.  
"Not all of us." Kurogane nodded. "But there's nothing to stop you and I…" He started but Fay hushed him.

"I've grown." He cut in. "So much." He insisted. "I have you to thank for that. I know the importance of one life now, I can understand and appreciate other people's feelings and emotions more." He turned to face Kurogane whose red eyes were staring into him. It had all gone unsaid, their feelings for each other had always been eclipsed by events far bigger than the two of them. Now everything hung on the line, all forced to the forefront and it was terrifying. Fay had only just learned to deal with emotion. "You've taught me so much. And now we're not tied down…"  
"Exactly." Kurogane agreed, stepping closer, and wrapping his new false arm carefully around Fay's waist. Fay smiled wistfully.

"But I still have growing up to do." He told Kurogane, moving in closer. "I'm not that person anymore. I don't run from what scares me."  
"Good," Kurogane whispered, moving in to kiss the blond. Fay raised his hand to Kurogane's lips, blocking their lips from touching, stopping the kiss.  
"But I'm not ready for what comes next." Fay said earnestly. He lowered his hand but didn't break the embrace. "Do you understand?"  
"Not fully." Muttered the ninja. He sighed and nodded. "You want to wait?"  
"Hm?" Fay mused before shaking his head. "Waiting isn't the right word. I want to travel."  
"Then we'll travel." Kurogane said decisively. "There's no rush for me to go home." Fay shook his head again.  
"Not you." The smile hadn't faded but it wasn't false.

"You need space." Kurogane wondered aloud. Fay nodded.  
"Some time alone. I need to think. Need to know that what I feel is real…" Fay raised his hand to brush Kurogane's face very gently, as one would do a lover.  
"I'll tell you now that it is." Kurogane growled. Fay chuckled and allowed his thumb to brush over Kurogane's tightly pursed lips.  
"It probably is." Fay agreed in an airy and cheery tone that was genuine. "But it's something I need to do alone." His golden eyes glittered, silently begging Kurogane to understand. He didn't.  
"It seems to me you're still running." Kurogane's voice was stern as though trying to talk him out of it. Fay shook his head softly.  
"I can't go from being a coward to commitment right away… but I'll be back," He swore.  
"How long?" Kurogane growled, trying to ignore Fay's hands as they drew over every inch of his face, ingraining the memory in Fay's head.  
"Not long." Fay promised. He stood on tiptoes, very slightly, before their lips met.

And it was epic. Everything that hadn't been said, couldn't be said, on their journey was pressed between them, though there was not an inch of space between their entwined bodies. Their lips meshed perfectly and Fay was for once utterly relaxed, there was no pressure and no sorrow. This was no goodbye. Kurogane's tongue flicked along Fay's bottom lip and Fay willingly accepted. This wasn't a goodbye at all. It was a so long. Until next time. See you soon. Kurogane's fake arm held Fay's waist tight, as though silently explaining he didn't want him to go.

The kiss ended too quickly, Fay was smiling, he pulled back.  
"Now, if you'll excuse me… I have a wish to make." And he waved. And then he was gone.  
"Not long." Kurogane repeated firmly.

* * *

How long is not long?

Kurogane's mind raced. He got everything prepared that he needed to, less focused on his own return home than Fay's arrival. He had his room changed to a double futon, had Tomoyo provide clothing for the blond.  
"He'll be here soon." He said often under Tomoyo's gaze. Tomoyo would only nod silently. Then there was the wait. The wait itself was maddening. After days Kurogane was impatient with himself, after weeks Kurogane was restless, after months Kurogane was pitied, people in the castle whispered as though he was mad, and after years?

Kurogane gave up the hope that Fay was returning.

A/n: W…wait what? Fay promised! This was a short first chapter. Reviews encourage me to write faster. *nod nod*


	2. Almost Lover

A/n: Well some of you guessed right so without bother!

Chapter 2:

Fay couldn't be happier, he ran his fingers through his hair and took a deep breath.  
"I'm ready to go to Nihon." He told Watanuki, who was dressed up to the back teeth in a beautiful midnight blue and gold robe. Watanuki looked at him… well looked through him may be a more accurate way of describing it. Watanuki was searching his soul and conscience for any impurity or doubt but could find none. Fay was a free man.  
"Very well… we agreed the price beforehand." Watanuki said, in a very calm tone and put out his hand. Fay chuckled at how much of Yuko had rubbed off on the boy, before he handed over what he had agreed upon. It didn't seem much, in fact the price seemed almost unfair. Fay got to return to the person he loved, and in return Watanuki got a vial of tears? It seemed absurd. He supposed Watanuki knew what he was doing. The small crystal vial glittered as it passed hands. Watanuki smiled almost sadly. "You're all set."

* * *

"Fay-san!" Breathed a surprised voice and Fay's eyes were drawn to the centre of the room, a large golden throne complete with bamboo and rice paper screens as a backdrop: and hurriedly dismounting her throne was a beautiful girl.  
"Tomoyo-hime." He said politely, and bowed as she rushed to him, apparently in disbelief. Fay wanted to tell her she looked well. He wanted to. But she looked tired, exhausted, her hair was stood on end in places and there were bags under her eyes. She looked, for lack of a better word, frazzled. "Are you keeping well?"  
"You're really here." Tomoyo said, touching his shoulder to prove it to herself. She gave a hefty sigh of relief. "Thank GOODNESS!" She cried. "Maybe you can talk some sense into him!" She elegantly waved her hand to the left indicating a screen door. "He's through there." Fay nodded awkwardly, Tomoyo had always been 'a little strange' (Quote: Sakura) but she seemed truly fed up right now. Fay felt her violet eyes on him as he crossed to the door and entered the room.

It appeared to be a library. Sure enough sat with his back to the door he'd just entered through was a familiar form, broad hunched shoulders, indoor armour, and black hair that seemed longer than before. His usual spikes weren't absent and were as wild and as messy as ever, but the back length had been woven into a bound ponytail as had his father's before him.  
"I'm home." Fay said cheerfully. Kurogane jumped at least a foot, knocking his chair over as he spun around. Fay surveyed his face. He too looked worn, stubble on his face and shock in his eyes. Kurogane laid eyes on Fay, who looked no different. He glared.  
"You're too late," He said grimly, with a tone of finality.  
"Hm?" Fay asked cutely, cocking his head. He was trying to decide whether he liked Kurogane's stubble or not.  
"I said. You're too late." Kurogane repeated, speaking slowly. He didn't sound impressed, nor at all happy to see Fay.

"Too late for what?" The blond queried, but Kurogane said nothing, only glowered.  
"Three fuckin' years you were gone." The ninja was seething, his fists clenched by his side as though trying his damndest not to hit Fay who was surprised to note the fake arm now looked a lot more realistic. It was still prosthetic, but well made, flesh coloured, with muscles and movement.  
"Oh." Said Fay awkwardly at the revelation. "I guess… we forgot the time differences. It was only 3 months by my calendar." He held his breath for a few seconds. "What's three years between friends?" He asked hopefully. Kurogane shook his head.  
"You're too late." He said again, this time almost sadly as he unclenched his fists. "I'm engaged." Fay's eyes widened and this time he held his breath involuntarily kind of hoping Kurogane would completely break character and laugh it off, say it was a joke, a misunderstanding, a genuine mistake. "With a kid." Kurogane added, in a lower tone.

Fay felt as though Kurogane **had** just punched him. Dizzily he fell into the chair behind him.  
"I didn't think you were…" Fay started, but couldn't find the words. He stared up at Kurogane hopelessly. Kurogane avoided his eyes. "I… uhm… congratulations I guess?" He stammered. Kurogane nodded. "How old?" Fay dared to ask, he had to know. Had Kurogane given up on him within a few weeks or…  
"Due in three months. A boy." Kurogane said stonily. Fay nodded weakly, Kurogane's fiancée was pregnant. How heartbreakingly final.  
"I… missed my chance then." He said brightly, standing up suddenly. "It was nice seeing you again." He spoke quickly and with a large smile that made Kurogane's stomach churn. "Take care of yourself… and your little one. I hope the wedding is nice." Fay babbled.  
"You can stay." Kurogane spoke before he thought. He knew Fay being here would only be temptation but at the same time a ten minute bomb-dropping conversation was hardly closure.  
"In Nihon?"  
"Talk to Tomoyo, she'll assign you a room." Kurogane's red eyes were still intently focused on the floor. It wasn't that there was any shame in looking at Fay, but Kurogane knew if their eyes met he'd do something drastic, whether it be punch Fay or kiss him he wasn't quite sure yet.  
"I… okay." Fay nodded hesitantly.

If Kurogane wanted him here then he would stay even if it broke his heart. He couldn't believe he'd forgotten that different worlds had different time zones. He couldn't believe Kurogane had fallen in love with another… Kurogane was going to be a father! Fay stared at the man he loved. The man he loved. He'd worked that much out during his three month journey. Absence had truly made the heart grow fonder, and his ached just seeing the stoic warrior in front of him avoiding his gaze.  
"Kurogane!" Called a voice, and Kurogane looked up. A woman had entered the library. A heavily pregnant woman. Despite the obvious baby bump under her elaborate clothing, she was stunning, tall, with long black hair to her waist, palest skin and dark brown eyes. She was beautiful. Even if the expression on her face wasn't. She looked sour, though being 6 months pregnant Fay supposed she was. Kurogane's red eyes snapped right to the woman as she approached.

And Fay felt jealous. Kurogane's attention was wholly focused on her.  
"What?" He asked her gruffly. She burst into tears suddenly. Fay jumped in alarm and Kurogane bristled like a dog that had been rubbed the wrong way. "Don't do that." He grumbled embarrassedly.  
"My brother's refusing to attend the wedding." She sobbed.  
"Screw him." Kurogane said simply. She punched him in the arm, apparently this wasn't the answer she was looking for. Fay felt this was slightly insensitive of Kurogane.  
"I'm sure he'll come around, before the wedding." Fay said. He didn't know why he'd said it, he had no clue of the situation, but he felt he had to say something to her. She was obviously someone very important to Kurogane. She turned to him.  
"Who're you?" She asked, wiping her eyes. Her tone was not curious but more demanding, she wanted to know who he was and why he was here all in one.  
"Fay D. Fluorite. I'm sure Kuro…" Fay paused. Kurogane held his breath. There was a do-or-die moment in which he made a split second decision. "Gane's mentioned me." And Kurogane felt someone had tipped ice down his shirt. He exhaled heavily. The nicknames were gone. Fay extended his hand.  
"Kana Kurogane." She said, taking his hand and shaking it. He noticed she held a little too tight. "He hasn't." Fay smiled pulling back his hand. He couldn't help but stare down at her baby bump which was oddly pronounced for 6 months. Kurogane's son. She huffed.

"Men, you're all the same." She pouted. "Lecherous creatures. Honestly. They got bigger because of pregnancy and they'll go back down later." She scolded. Fay seemed startled. Given that he was still sat down he supposed eye contact wise it MAY have looked like he was looking at her breasts but he really had no interest.  
"I assure you I wasn't looking at those." He promised her. She didn't seem to believe him.  
"Good day, Fluorite-san." She said haughtily, implying that he leave. Fay looked at Kurogane, wondering if he was going to allow this. Of course he was. Kurogane said nothing as though bound by an invisible chain.  
"I better go see Tomoyo-hime." He said curtly, standing up. He bowed politely. "A pleasure to meet you, Kana-san."  
"Too friendly." She said bluntly. "You don't know me well enough to call me by my birth name. Kurogane-san will do." She flicked her hair.  
"We're not married yet." Kurogane muttered under his breath at her. She heard and flew into a rage, punching his arm again and she began crying again. Fay chose this time to slip out of the room and back into the throne room, closing the door on her screeching voice.

Tomoyo stared at him expectantly. She'd been pacing, waiting for him to return.  
"Engaged." Fay said with a sigh.  
"It's not fair." Tomoyo said, removing Fay's coat gently and sitting him down. She poured him a cup of tea.  
"She seems…" Fay wanted to say 'nice'. He really did.  
"Like a complete and utter leech." Tomoyo finished his sentence. Fay raised an eyebrow surprised that she would say something so direct.  
"I wouldn't say _that_."  
"I would." She explained, sitting across from him. "We raised him too well." She had a frown on her pretty face and it did not suit her. "If Kurogane is one thing, he is honourable." She sighed. "Too honourable. They weren't together. I don't approve but from what I gather it was some drunken one night affair, a fling that was a direct result of alcohol and loneliness. The next thing we know she's announcing she's pregnant and he of course does 'the right thing' and proposes." Tomoyo clicked her teeth.  
"How very like him." Fay smiled sadly.

It didn't surprise him, if Kurogane got a girl in trouble then there was no doubt in Fay's mind that Kurogane would propose on the spot, regardless of the girl's temperament. He was just that kind of a guy.  
"Aside from the fact he does love her in a twisted kind of 'she's carrying my child' way, she's manipulative. Whereas I believe Kurogane proposed of his own volition it was awfully _lucky _he did as she'd be going broke without it. She's INSISTING they get married before the baby arrives because it's 'the proper thing'. She's already taken to calling herself by his family name." Tomoyo clicked her teeth again in abhorrent disapproval as though this 'tsk' noise was here entire view on Kana. "She's well known as a… woman of ill-repute shall we say." Fay nodded.  
"Perhaps pregnancy and commitment will calm her down?" He offered hopefully, after all nobody was perfect, and he wanted Kurogane to be happy.  
"Kurogane claims it has - he won't hear a word against her. I was the first to oppose the marriage… it all comes down to the child." Fay nodded again, this time sadly.

"He'll be a great father." He said with absolute conviction. There was no way Kurogane could be a bad father, especially to a little boy. And Fay knew the child would be handsome, with Kurogane and Kana as parents, sporty with Kurogane as a daddy. It scared Fay to no end that he could picture the child already, a perfect little Japanese boy, pure bred with black hair and dark eyes.  
"I know. Just why her I'll never know... I guess Hitsuzen works in strange ways." She sighed and finished her tea. "Then again just how much of this is Hitsuzen I'll never know."  
"Hm?" Fay questioned taking another sip from his mug.  
"What I am trying to say…" Tomoyo spoke in a knowing tone. "Is that I wouldn't have put it past her to get pregnant on purpose." Fay felt utterly useless.  
"Who are we to object. A spurned almost-lover and a little sister who isn't quite his little sister." Tomoyo nodded in agreement.  
"We shall just have to wait for him to come to his senses."

That, Fay thought bitterly, would be much easier said than done.

A/n: BOO HISS! WE DON'T LIKE KANA! Reviews feed the yaoi monster!!!


	3. It's Not Me

A/n: Don't worry I hate Kana with a passion too. I will at some point explain why she's such a bitch and why she's so horrible. For now she's just a horrible-bitch okay.

Fay just felt foolish, exhausting himself setting up his own single room. It wasn't exactly how he'd imagined his first night in Nihon. Around him the castle continued it's daily routine, maids bustling about, chefs hurrying back and forth with food, soldiers on patrol at the entrance. But Fay felt half dead. He felt as though his heart had been torn into shreds, he felt it so much he could physically feel pain from it, a dull gnawing ache in his chest and stomach. The knowledge of 'what if', what if he hadn't left? What if he'd come back sooner? What if he'd used common sense and asked Watanuki to ONLY send him to a world within the same time zone?

Fay sat on his bed. Despite feeling completely and utterly miserable he wasn't crying, and he wasn't sure why. If his journeys had taught him anything it was that it was okay to cry when necessary. If ever a situation called for tears it was this one.  
"Oi." Barked a familiar voice and Fay looked up to see Kurogane at his doorway. And him with a face like a wet weekend, Fay smiled hurriedly.  
"My room is so big!" He cheered, jumping up and spreading his arms wide, he gave an ecstatic twirl. "I feel like I'm being given extra special treatment. I suppose it helps to know the princess."  
"Drop the act." Scowled the ninja, closing the door behind him. Fay continued to smile as though he hadn't been caught play-acting.  
"So, you're going to be a DADDY!" And even if he spoke it in a chirpy tone the words stung like knives.  
"Yeah." Kurogane said offhandedly. "Have you contacted the kids?"  
"No. I didn't think I was gone long, remember… did I miss much with them?"  
"He wanted to go after you." Kurogane said, sitting in a chair and not looking at Fay. "He said you must be in trouble." Fay knew he was in for a talking to, and he didn't really feel like being chastised.

He knew he was an idiot. He knew he should have thought it through carefully. He should have planned better.  
"I didn't let him," Kurogane said in a low growl. "I didn't let him go find you. And I didn't look for you." Fay nodded.  
"I suppose you thought I'd done the cowardly thing and ran away for good?" Fay asked, and didn't resent the nod Kurogane gave him. "Well I didn't."  
"So where were you, what DID you do?" He demanded, and was quite obviously trying not to lose his temper.  
"I set up a grave site." Fay said. "More a memorial really. For those we'd lost… for those we'd killed… for those who died for us. In the middle of nowhere, in a valley. I felt it was most appropriate." Fay hoisted himself up onto his windowsill. He didn't like these window sills, they weren't right for curling up on, the window was circular and Fay was far too pointy to curve himself that much.

Neither dared to look at the other. Fay felt if he could just justify why he'd been away he could get Kurogane's forgiveness, if not his own.  
"Once I was free from that burden, I was able to think. About us." Fay added guiltily.  
"We can't talk about this." Kurogane's tone was very final, but Fay ignored it.  
"We have to. Whether you want to hear it or not." And there was a moment's silence in which Fay gave silent permission for Kurogane to get up and walk out if he so desired, but there was something that kept Kurogane rooted to his chair, and they both knew what it was.

"I decided… not that it took much deciding. That I loved you." Kurogane winced, he'd been expecting that. "And I know you won't believe that I needed to be away like that but I did. When you're around someone constantly you're bound to care for them. I needed to be alone to decide how real those feelings were. I had my own space to think and I thought about the big things… where we'd live."  
"Nihon." Kurogane answered far too quickly. "Was never a debate."  
"Hm, I know, but I did think about staying a while in Clow, with the kids." He paused. "I suppose they're not kids anymore…"  
"They're on my timeline. They grew up." Kurogane said almost pitifully, he knew Fay would have loved to see Sakura maturing, and talk to Syaoran as his voice broke. Sakura had grown out of her initial cuteness and into the beauty she had always possessed, her face soft ivory and her eyes glittering emeralds, her body growing out of its awkward teens and into a young woman's figure but she was still thin. Kurogane knew childbearing wasn't on their mind until after marriage. Syaoran had stuck to his training and grown more muscular, but not overly: he didn't eat nearly enough to keep any weight on, his voice had broken he'd gotten taller, and his facial features were more pronounced: however he'd not yet grown out of his awkward teen years mentally. He was still prone to putting his foot in his mouth. Mokona had aged the three years but not changed physically or mentally. Kurogane kept his mouth shut. No sense in upsetting Fay now.

"Nihon was the main plan, Clow as a vacation home of sorts." Fay said offhandedly tucking his arms around his knees, apparently trying to brush off the fact he'd missed 'his children' growing up. "I thought about legal things, social things… how the repercussions of the Princess' guard being in a relationship with a foreign **man **may affect you."  
"You knew Tomoyo had a sister?" Kurogane ventured forth. "She's the proper Princess. Except… she ran off with her guard. A woman. Souma." Kurogane smirked. "Caused a bit of a scandal. Left Tomoyo in charge."  
"Tomoyo-chan seems to be holding the fort pretty well."  
"She knew all along, she approved. Tomoyo's in charge now so…" So gay rights galore then. Typical.  
"So legally we'd be allowed to get married. That is to say we would've been allowed." Fay corrected himself. "I'd thought about that. And… ironically I did think about children." Fay curled up tighter, feeling oddly exposed. He was proud of himself in a way, that he could show this raw side, but at the same time he wanted to shut it all away again, given that he stood no chance of romance with the handsome defender. "I thought that in 5... maybe 10 years time you'd realise the main flaw of being gay or at least, in a same sex relationship… as you're obviously not gay." Fay bit his lip.

"I could never give you what Kana is giving you… so." Fay took a deep breath. "So I won't lie, I'm not happy about this, about any of it… but if I've have to trade in all that I thought about and planned… that's fine. Because I know you'll be a great father." Fay was pained to say it, but found the words anyway. "What I'm trying to say is… you have my blessings."  
"There's only one thing I ask." Kurogane spoke, voicing what he'd approached the room to say. Fay raised an eyebrow. "Whatever we almost had, whatever never quite was… she doesn't need to know." Fay let out a breath he didn't realise he'd been holding. He'd never once felt ashamed of his sexuality, or even his feelings for Kurogane. He'd never once denied it or hidden from it. Now he was being forced to. 'Forced' because of the look on Kurogane's face.

"Of course… your fiancée doesn't need to know that in a moment of madness years ago you might have for a few minutes believed yourself to be gay." Fay whispered trying to laugh it off.  
"You know damn well that's not what I meant." Kurogane growled. "You think I'd be that pissed off about a few minutes of doubt? You know how I…" He started but shook his head. He was on dangerous territory. "You know what forget it it's a long time ago. All I'm saying is she doesn't need to know what's only going to hurt her."  
"Or hurt your relationship with your son… I get it." Fay said, not daring to look Kurogane in the eye. "I won't say anything." Fay knew his word, despite having been broken often, meant the world to Kurogane so very reluctantly added. "I promise."

"Thanks." Kurogane grunted, before standing up. "I'll see you at dinner." And he left without another word and Fay knew it was because he too didn't want to risk their emotions getting out of hand. Kurogane was still angry that much was obvious, but he was also hurt. Their eyes hadn't met the whole time they'd been talking. Fay lay his head on his knees. He wanted to cry.

He couldn't.

------------------

It was simply not in Fay's nature to mope. However lonely and depressed he was: he had been through much worse, so after a little while of being sad he dragged himself out of bed, combed his messy hair and went downstairs to the throne room. Tomoyo was staring upward, in front of her sheets of paper lay strewn and an ink pot lay upturned, dripping black ink onto the floor.  
"It's no good." She told him. "I can't do it."  
"Can't do what?" Fay asked, Tomoyo looked stressed beyond her years, and Fay knew the entire situation was killing her. Despite being much younger she had effectively raised Kurogane.  
"He asked me… as a friend… to design their wedding outfits. I can't do it."  
"That's not true, you're a brilliant designer." He praised, one thing seemed to stay constant regardless of the world and that was talent.  
"I have 6 weeks until the wedding and I can't come up with anything… if the mind doesn't want something it cannot be forced to accept it." She frowned and stared at her scrawled designs.  
"Why are you so dead set against them marrying?" Fay asked gently.  
"I wish I knew." Tomoyo whispered. "But every time I talk to her I want to cry. She's just not right for him." She took Fay's hand and obediently he squeezed them in reassurance. "Talk to her… please tell me I'm not imagining it, that there's something wrong?" She asked,  
"I think I'm a little bias." Fay excused himself, he didn't want to have to talk to her. Whether she was an angel or a demon it made no difference to him; she'd won. In a fight he didn't even know he was entered into.

"Please Fay-san." Tomoyo asked again, with her very persuasive tone and Fay nodded.  
"Where can I find her?"  
"She shares a room with Kurogane, seventh floor, room seven." (CLAMP like the number 7) Tomoyo said. "He's training so…" Fay nodded and glanced at Tomoyo, she wasn't falling apart he could tell this much: she was strong and this was not her life. She had her own life to live and a country to take care of: but she was terribly sad for the situation. Fay felt this could be due to a brother-complex after all Tomoyo was prone to obsess. As Fay made his way to Kana's room… their marital bedroom, he hoped Tomoyo was wrong. Even though he knew Tomoyo had a sixth sense when it came to romance he wanted her to be wrong.

"Knock knock." Fay chirped, knocking on the open door.  
"Hello." Kana turned her head slightly, she was sat in front of the mirror apparently arguing with a particularly difficult knot in her long black hair.  
"I came to apologize… I think we got off on the wrong foot." Fay spoke in his usual charismatic tone, he didn't need to be interested in someone to charm them.  
"Possibly… by all means, come in, close the door." She said, still struggling with the comb. Fay obediently entered, closing the door behind him. "I get a little… hormonal lately." She explained. "But I rarely meet anyone from Kurogane's past… he's not exactly the most social creature."  
"No." Fay agreed. "He's not."  
"So tell me… how do you know him?" She asked, giving up on the knot in her hair and placing the comb on the vanity. She didn't look at Fay, more she looked at his reflection in the mirror, studying him with great interest. He was obviously foreign, very handsome too. Fay found this disturbing and for the first time he understood what Tomoyo had meant… there was something off about this. Kana was being perfectly nice here, sociable even: but there was something wrong.  
"We travelled together for a while." Fay said nonchalantly, after all that was technically true.  
"He travelled? He's never mentioned it."

Fay had to wonder what Kurogane _had _mentioned, surely their adventure had been a key event in Kurogane's life… and he'd never brought it up to the woman who he planned to spend the rest of his life with. Kana sighed sadly.  
"Then again… he doesn't talk much at all." She whispered, her brown eyes glittered as her gaze lowered. Fay felt a bit sorry for her.  
"He's not good with words…" He told her in a reassuring way.  
"Not just words…" She laughed and batted her hand. "It's stupid really… forget I said anything." Fay didn't know why he was so suspicious of her behaviour… but her close-to-tears demeanour was unsettling. And then he realised why. Sitting there, heavily pregnant, with her long hair and big eyes.  
"Kurogane-san." He called her, with an almost gentle tone. "How old are you?"  
"I turn 20 in the summer." She said softly. 19. She was barely more than a child, only a little older than Sakura and Syaoran. For a moment Fay felt his heart break, she was 6 years younger than Kurogane, no wonder Kurogane felt so responsible.  
"You're very brave." He told her.  
"I… No I'm not." She murmured blushing.  
"Yes, you are and don't let anyone tell you differently." Fay said, tucking two fingers under her chin and raising her face to look at his. "I can only imagine how scared you are… but I know him. He'll take care of you." Her hand raised to touch his hand, which was pencil gripping her chin gently. She looked touched. Her eyelids lowered and she seemed apprehensive.

"Thank you… Fluorite-san." She said, and she leaned over and kissed him, fully, on the lips. Fay froze. He pushed her away, perhaps with a little more force than he had intended.  
"I think you may have misunderstood." He said embarrassedly touching his lips in panic. But her soft and vulnerable face once again had that sour wicked look on it as she wiped her lips.  
"You're not interested in me..." She said, smirking slightly and standing up, despite not being the tallest girl Kana had a very imposing figure.  
"No. I'm not." He answered honestly.  
"I knew it." Her eyes narrowed. "It's not me you're attracted to… it's him."

A/n: BAD KANA. VERY BAD KANA. Reviews are made of epicness. Also a little help? At the end of the manga Fay has one blue eye and one golden eye right? And half his magic? Am I right or forgetting stuff again?


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